Students\u27 knowledge construction and attitudes toward synchronous videoconferencing in an online collaborative problem-based learning environment

The purpose of this study was to investigate students\u27 cognitive learning process during problem-based discussions in an online synchronous collaborative learning environment via videoconferencing. In addition, students\u27 attitudes toward the online synchronous collaborative small-group discussions with videoconferencing as well as recommendations on how to improve their online synchronous collaborative small-group discussions with videoconferencing were investigated. The participants were 28 graduate students who took a graduate-level online Mathematical Modeling course at a western university. They were assigned into eight groups of three (or four) students to work on nine collaborative projects throughout the semester. They were instructed to utilize the Elluminate Live!® for the synchronous small-group discussions each week. A triangulation mixed methods design was used to analyze and interpret four data sources including (1) twelve synchronous small-group discussion transcriptions; (2) three teamwork attitude surveys; (3) a learning environment attitude survey; and (4) seven individual interviews. The main findings of this study revealed that students performed more messages at Phase I than at Phase IV or Phase V based on the Gunawardena, Lowe, and Anderson\u27s Interaction Analysis Model (1997) in the online synchronous collaborative small-group discussions with videoconferencing integrated. The results of the findings might be due to students\u27 sharing preferences, preparedness of the group members, and the nature of the Mathematical Modeling course. Nevertheless, videoconferencing can be a potential tool to help facilitate participants to perform more messages at Phase V than synchronous chat. Additionally, students had positive attitudes toward the online synchronous collaborative learning environment and their most favorable experiences included the sense of community, learning facilitation, and significance of the synchronous small-group discussions via videoconferencing sessions. Conversely, technology problems and unprepared group members were students\u27 unfavorable experiences when participating in the synchronous small-group discussions via videoconferencing. Furthermore, recommendations such as technical assistance, group rotation, clear course expectations, greater preparation time, and increased learner-instructor interaction were provided to improve students\u27 online synchronous collaborative small-group discussions with videoconferencing. Finally, implications for educational practices and recommendations for future studies were discussed

A new framework for matching semantic web service descriptions based on OWL-S services

Nowadays, semantic web services are published and updated with growing demand for cloud computing. Since a single service is not capable of processing the increase of data and user's demand the improvement is necessary to match and rank semantic web service to achieve the user's goal. In the semantic web service framework, users' request is the input to the system and output is ranking of semantic web service. It has become a limitation to match between requests with the semantic web service description. This paper proposes a new framework for matching and ranking semantic web service based on OWL-S. The proposed new framework can match the keyword in each task and ranking service. This framework is done by using performance ontology-based indexing. The result is obtained and the performance of the services for multiple requests has been measured

Collaboration Factors, Teamwork Satisfaction, and Student Attitudes toward Online Collaborative Learning

This study examined online courses with collaborative learning components from 197 graduate students across three consecutive academic years. A student attitude survey containing 20 items and a student teamwork satisfaction scale containing 10 items on a 5-point Likert-type scale with three open-ended questions regarding their online collaborating experiences were collected during the final week of each semester. Results revealed that the three extracted online collaboration factors (Team Dynamics, Team Acquaintance, and Instructor Support) from the student attitude survey had moderate to high degrees of correlation with teamwork satisfaction. Results also revealed that the three collaboration factors accounted for 53% of the variance in online teamwork satisfaction. In addition, results from both surveys and open-ended questions revealed students favored working collaboratively in an online environment

Aclacinomycin A in the treatment of multiple myeloma: A Southwest Oncology Group study

Fifty-two patients with progressive resistant multiple myeloma were entered in this Southwest Oncology Group Phase II study, using weekly intravenous Aclacinomycin A. Of forty-three evaluable patients for response, there was one partial remission of 2 years duration and two sustained clinical improvements with 25% reduction in paraprotein. Major toxicity seen was severe myelosuppression and significant nausea and vomiting requiring dose reduction and delay of the scheduled treatment. Cardiac arrhythmia was seen in one patient. Chronic daily schedule or continuous IV infusion is recommended for future study.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/45336/1/10637_2004_Article_BF00216933.pd

Antitumor Effects of Cannabinoids in Human Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma Cell Line (Capan-2)-Derived Xenograft Mouse Model

BackgroundPancreatic cancer is considered a rare type of cancer, but the mortality rate is high. Cannabinoids extracted from the cannabis plant have been interested as an alternative treatment in cancer patients. Only a few studies are available on the antitumor effects of cannabinoids in pancreatic cancer. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the antitumor effects of cannabinoids in pancreatic cancer xenografted mouse model.Materials and MethodsTwenty-five nude mice were subcutaneously transplanted with a human pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma cell line (Capan-2). All mice were randomly assigned into 5 groups including negative control (gavage with sesame oil), positive control (5 mg/kg 5-fluorouracil intraperitoneal administration), and cannabinoids groups that daily received THC:CBD, 1:6 at 1, 5, or 10 mg/kg body weight for 30 days, respectively. Xenograft tumors and internal organs were collected for histopathological examination and immunohistochemistry.ResultsThe average tumor volume was increased in all groups with no significant difference. The average apoptotic cells and caspase-3 positive cells were significantly increased in cannabinoid groups compared with the negative control group. The expression score of proliferating cell nuclear antigen in positive control and cannabinoids groups was decreased compared with the negative control group.ConclusionsCannabinoids have an antitumor effect on the Capan-2-derived xenograft mouse model though induce apoptosis and inhibit proliferation of tumor cells in a dose-dependent manner

ระบบเลือกนำส่งอิแนนทิโอเมอร์ของ propranolol โดยใช้เซลลูโลสเมมเบรนที่กราฟต์ด้วยพอลิเมอร์ที่มีรอยพิมพ์ประทับโมเลกุล

Thesis (Ph.D., Pharmaceutical Sciences)--Prince of Songkla University, 200

Additional file 1: of Neuroprotective and cognitive-enhancing effects of the combined extract of Cyperus rotundus and Zingiber officinale

The pilot in vitro study results, the experimental details for the HPLC-UV analysis and UV absorption of CP1 and photograph of neuron density in hippocampus. (DOCX 874 kb

Moringa oleifera Mitigates Memory Impairment and Neurodegeneration in Animal Model of Age-Related Dementia

To date, the preventive strategy against dementia is still essential due to the rapid growth of its prevalence and the limited therapeutic efficacy. Based on the crucial role of oxidative stress in age-related dementia and the antioxidant and nootropic activities of Moringa oleifera, the enhancement of spatial memory and neuroprotection of M. oleifera leaves extract in animal model of age-related dementia was determined. The possible underlying mechanism was also investigated. Male Wistar rats, weighing 180–220 g, were orally given M. oleifera leaves extract at doses of 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg at a period of 7 days before and 7 days after the intracerebroventricular administration of AF64A bilaterally. Then, they were assessed memory, neuron density, MDA level, and the activities of SOD, CAT, GSH-Px, and AChE in hippocampus. The results showed that the extract improved spatial memory and neurodegeneration in CA1, CA2, CA3, and dentate gyrus of hippocampus together with the decreased MDA level and AChE activity but increased SOD and CAT activities. Therefore, our data suggest that M. oleifera leaves extract is the potential cognitive enhancer and neuroprotectant. The possible mechanism might occur partly via the decreased oxidative stress and the enhanced cholinergic function. However, further explorations concerning active ingredient(s) are still required